South Africa red wines

South Africa has a long winemaking tradition; in the mid-17th century, Dutch immigrants imported the first vines from Europe. In the 1920s, the grape variety Pinotage was created in South Africa, which has become a kind of figurehead of viticulture in the Cape region. South Africa has a very warm climate, this is why the vines are generally planted near the coast, where cool winds from the Antarctic reduce the heat. Since the 1980s, more French vines have been planted. Today the red varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot are most important, the traditional Pinotage is still in fourth place. South African wines profit from low production costs in international competition and therefore usually offer a lot of pleasure at a pleasing price.